Guest guest Posted October 15, 1999 Report Share Posted October 15, 1999 I thought the devotees on these conferences would be interested to know that Drew Conroy, one of the world's foremost expert on ox training has a new book at the publishers: *Oxen - A Teamster's Guide* - 360 pages, $29.95 (includes shipping within the US) Which will shortly be available from: Doug Butler Enterprises PO Box 1390 LaPorte CO 80535 Phone: 1-800-728-3826 (within the US) 970-482-7518 (outside US) FAX: 970-493-7251 Doug Butler is a tiny, tiny publisher in Colorado which has neither e-mail or website, but they publish many books and videos about ox power and horse power, farrier's trade (how to trim hooves), etc. They are advertising the book as "the most complete and definitive book available today on training and working oxen," which I am sure it is. Some of this is geared toward competition at agricultural fairs, so not everything will be of interest to us, but Drew Conroy is such a seasoned expert, with extensive international experience on the subject, that this book is bound to have much of interest to all of us. [At the end of this post, I include excerpts from his article which I posted back in June.] Here's the table of contents: Foreword by Dick Roosenberg (Director of Tillers International ox power school, Kalamazoo, Michigan) Acknowledgements Introduction 1. Selecting the Ideal Team 2. Housing Your Oxen 3. Feeding Your Oxen 4. Principles of Training 5. Training Steers ["steers" is the New England term for oxen less than 2 years old] 6. Advanced Training 7. Training Mature Cattle 8. Yoke Styles 9. Making a Neck Yoke and Bows 10. Hitching Options 11. Oxen in Agriculture 12. Logging with Oxen 13. Working Oxen in Public 14. Competing with Oxen 15. Keeping Oxen Healthy 16. Hoof Care 17. The Problem Team 18. Oxen in History 19. International Development Glossary of Ox Terms Bibliography**** Resources**** Index Andrew "Drew" Conroy has trained and worked oxen since the age of 13. As a junior in college he wrote his first book, The Oxen Handbook. Drew and his oxen regularly compete at New England fairs and field days, ahve been featured in numerous magazine articles, and appeared in two films, *The Crucible* and *In Search of the Oregon Trail.* Drew is a frequent guest instructor at Tillters International and his advice is frequently sought by 4-H groups, museums, hobby ox trainers, and international audiences. His recent adventures with oxen have taken him to Africa four times, where his Ph.D degree has led him to work with the Massai of Tanzania collecting data on their adoption of oxen technology. Drew teaches Dairy Science at the Thompson School of Applied Science, University of New Hampshire, Durham. He is a prolific writer on the subject of oxen, and is a regular contributor to *Rural Heritage* magazine. Drew raises cattle and trains oxen at Oxwood Farm in Berwick, Maine, where he lives with his wife Janet and son Ross. "Few people, if any, on this planet have the knowledge and understanding of the subject of steers and oxen to compare with that of Drew Conroy. In this book his work in exploring the history of cattel as draft animals, their care and training, and the pure pleasure of learning to be a teamster is gathered into a valuable and enduring record. Anyone with the slightest interest in this important aspect of America's agricultural heritage will enjoy *Oxen - A Teamster's Guide." --Stephen H. Taylor, Commissioner, New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Foods Noma Petroff wrote: > Drew Conroy on Ox Reins > > Rural Heritage: The Evener 1999, vol 24, no. 2 p. 102 > > DRIVING OXEN WITH LINES > by Drew Conroy > > "I am interested in driving oxen from the wagon, as you would a horse," writes Leo Canuel of Somerset, Massachusetts. "I have seen it done with a nose ring, but I wonder if it can be done any other way?"... > > Why do you want to drive oxen with lines? If your goal is to have a hobby team that drives with lines, so be it. > > If you want to plow and drive the team while riding in a cart, my answer would be that half the ox teamsters in the world drive from a cart with one person and no lines. Are you not willing or able to train your animals as well as a 12-year-old boy in Tanzania plowing with six oxen? The key to his success may be his need to ox-plow an entire farm. The mount of time his animals spend in the yoke may be more substantial than > you are willing to give this endeavor. > > If you want to drive with lines because you think you will get better results, don't do it. I judge ox cart obstacle courses every summer and fall, and I have a feeling the results of using lines would fall short of the outstanding performances I regularly see. I have never seen a team with lines that was as well trained as teams I have seen without lines. Most teamsters who use lines spend a lot less time training their > oxen, and a lot more time restraining them physically, rather than psychologically. And, if you ever log with your oxen, you'll quickly see no advantage to having lines – I hate jumping out of the way of rolling logs. > > As you can see, I am not keen on driving oxen with lines, as doing so is not customary in New England. ***Oxen are not allowed to compete in our shows or fairs with any type of bridle, bit, or nose rings.*** [Emphasis added.] > > ...Using nose rings is my least favorite method. Although nose rings offer an effective method of control, animals that have their noses yanked on too much become head shy and hard headed. Nose rings are a severe method of restraining. The oxen I have seen with nose rings had little choice but to obey. > > In Uganda I saw a rope, instead of a ring, run through the nose. Many of the oxen there learn to lie down in the yoke to resist working, a result of having their noses yanked and of being rushed in the training. > > The reason a bull is controlled with a ring is because this system of restraint causes pain - not the best technique for working cattle. At an ox training workshop in Missouri in 1995, I saw oxen that had been trained to drive with nose rings. At first they seemed to go pretty well, but as the day wore on, they became tired and despite the desires of the teamsters, walked right through a fence while pulling a buckboard > wagon... > > > ************************************* > > Drew Conroy, author of the Oxen Handbook, is one of the America's leading experts in ox training. He teaches dairy science at the University of New Hampshire, and conducts ox training course at Tillers International, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He also observes and trains African farmers in ox training as part of Tillers' outreach program. http://www.wmich.edu/tillers/ He is a regular contributor to *Rural Heritage.* > http://www.ruralheritage.com/ > > Raised in New England, he is accustomed to seeing some of the most expert ox teamsters in the world, even on a junior level. At our local Topsham Fair, I have seen a 16 year old girl get her team of oxen to walk sideways for about 20 feet, without even touching them. She used only voice commands in a calm tone of voice. That was in addition to many other required maneuvers such as having oxen turn right and left and back up > into a small space. The children are not allowed to use a rope of any kind on their teams. They must control them with voice commands and a small stick only. > > your servant, > > Hare Krsna dasi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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